Reseda : Creative Arts Keep Elderly Healthy, Alert

Painting, knitting, sewing, baking--Alegre Abrahamy has tackled almost as many skills as countries she has lived in. “I’m always into everything,” said Abrahamy, an eight-year resident of Reseda’s Jewish Home for the Aging, which hosted an arts and crafts exhibit this week.

Displayed on a table in the middle the exhibit was a painting by Abrahamy of an Arab and a Jew living peacefully together in a market. Although Abrahamy painted it, she gives her sister credit as the artist. She merely copied it for the exhibit.

“This is our hope for Israel,” said Abrahamy, a former resident of the country she hopes will someday find peace. In her long life, she had lived in Panama, Colombia, Japan and the United States before moving in 1945 to what was then Palestine.

In addition to the painting, she baked baklava for the exhibit.

A few dozen women like Abrahamy were on hand for the exhibit Thursday, showing off their paintings, blankets, ceramics, clothing and toys. Most are in their 90s, and some spend all day sewing, knitting and creating to keep alert and active.

“They are expert knitters,” said Rosita Chesnin, the home’s arts and crafts coordinator. “They have been knitting all their lives. They are expert sewers, too.”

Most of the crafts are sold to raise money for more supplies, but some are given to other residents of the home, like knitted purses that can be hung from walkers.

“The objective is to keep them creating,” Chesnin said. “That promotes good health. People come here and find they can express themselves again.”

Ethel Hayman, a retired nurse from North Hollywood and a three-year resident, works in the arts and crafts office from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Hayman decided to try painting in acrylic for the exhibit and finished a multi-picture project within a week.

“I was surprised I could do that so well,” said Hayman.